FIFA defends ticket prices, visa handling ahead of World Cup start

As the FIFA World Cup kicks off with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has launched a robust defense of the tournament's organization, pushing back against criticism over ticket prices and visa issues.

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Let me just say that our entry price, which is 60 dollars, is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the play-off phases.

Infantino addressed concerns about exorbitant ticket costs, noting that while some prices have exceeded $30,000, a significant number of $60 tickets were made available. He asserted that the $60 entry price is the lowest among American sports playoff phases, and the average ticket price, below $500, is also the lowest on average for U.S. sports.

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Our average price which is below 500 dollars is again the lowest of the American sports on average.

The FIFA chief also commented on the controversial denial of entry to the United States for Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan due to security concerns. Infantino acknowledged the unfortunate situation, stating that FIFA does not control all external factors. He advised a calm approach to problem-solving, suggesting that immediate outcry can be counterproductive.

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It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia. We don’t control everything… Sometimes it’s good to chill, relax, we work on everything, we try to solve everything.

Furthermore, Infantino framed Iran's participation in the World Cup, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, as a success for FIFA. He emphasized the organization's role in ensuring Iran could compete under challenging circumstances. Infantino also credited U.S. President Donald Trump's influence in securing the World Cup for the United States, suggesting the tournament might not have happened there without his involvement.

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People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup. There are challenges, it’s not easy, but I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances, which we could not influence, Iran could come and play.